Unwanted Birthday
by TheSkandranon
Summary: Toshiro hates birthdays, especially when Matsumoto is trying to plan a party. Is there a way for him to think differently?


Birthdays, who ever thought of such a ridiculous notion in the first place?

Toshiro walked down the streets of the Seireitei towards the Squad Ten barracks, glowering. Matsumoto was at it again, even after all these years of him telling her not to do anything for his birthday, she still wanted to try and set up a great big party for him.

If she knew him at all she would know that he didn't want such a big fuss over something as trivial as a simple day. The arrival of his birthday did not change how he lived his life, or his perspective on things, or anything significant. So what was the purpose of them other than to let people know how old you were? And even though he was rather ignorant about women in general, he has learned that they are rather secretive about their age (he couldn't fathom why though) and so that just made it even more pointless.

Yes, his birthday was tomorrow and he was dreading it and had been dreading it for the last month.

He walked sourly into the barracks, already in a bad mood thinking about the party that Matsumoto was undoubtedly planning for him.

He hadn't sensed anything odd in his office before he went in, but as soon as he opened the door and walked in someone covered his eyes and restrained his arms.

He was about to fight back, but then he recognized the feel of the hand over his eyes and the strength in the arm a split second before he heard a familiar voice whisper, "Shhhhh, I'm kidnapping you, just go along with me here."

He was a little exasperated at his friend, what in the world was she planning? And besides that, what was she thinking? If he hadn't realized who she was he could have easily broken her neck before he realized who it was. But she did have an odd sense of humor so he went along with whatever she was doing and followed where she directed him without struggling or removing her hand from his eyes.

He wasn't sure on where they were going, but he felt them pass through a Senkaimon gate. So they were headed to the human world, and there must be a jigokuchō must be with them. Where did she get one, that was the only way to travel safely through a Senkaimon gate, and they can only be called by a shinigami. And he obviously didn't call it. So someone else was involved with his kidnapping. What the heck was going on here?

After they passed through to the human world Toshiro had no idea where they ended up. He opened his mouth to ask where they were and what was going on, but she whispered in his ear, "Shhh, I'll explain in a few minutes."

Keeping her hand over his eyes she directed him inside a building and heard her ask someone, "Is it ready?"

"Of course it is, the request wasn't too hard now. Here it is," said a familiar voice.

He heard some movement in front of him and then the hand was removed from his eyes, but before he could open them and look around, the other hand pushed his back. And since he wasn't expecting it he stumbled forward. Into what felt like a gigai, but rather different somehow. He wasn't sure on what the difference was, except he still couldn't see. There must have been a blindfold on the gigai. He was getting a little tired of not being able to see.

"Thanks again Urahara," said his friend and then grabbed onto his hand and then dragged out the door.

"Karin, what in the world is going on? Why did you drag me all the way out here?"

"Just be patient a little longer Toshiro."

He sighed a little exasperatedly and let her pull him along.

To her credit it really wasn't all that long till he felt her stop and then took the blindfold off.

It had been a while since he had been able to see so he blinked a little in the bright sunlight. But when the spots disappeared he saw that Karin had taken him to a football field. And if he wasn't mistaken it was the same one that they had played in before when they first met. For an unknown reason there wasn't any snow yet, even though it was late into the winter season.

He looked over at Karin who was dribbling a football on her knee. She was also bundled up with a bright red coat with a black hat that covered her black hair.

He fisted his hands and rested them against his hips, "So what's the deal Karin? You drag me out of my office where I have a lot of work to do, to play football?"

She grinned and kicked the ball at him and he caught it easily with his hands.

"Let's play, and then I'll explain."

He stared at her incredulously and then sighed. There was no going against her when she was like this, and he did admit to himself he really could use a break, even if it was only for a few hours.

So he threw the ball into the air and then kicked it towards one of the goals and the game commenced.

He actually had fun, though he tried not to show it. He really did enjoy a good football game, and she was a great player and opponent. She made him work for each goal he made, and he wasn't always able to prevent her from scoring, even though he always tried her best.

So a couple hours later when it ended with her one point ahead he laid down on the brown grass, breathing somewhat heavily and looked up at the over cast sky. He heard Karin lay down beside him panting just as heavily as he was.

"So do you mind telling me what this is all about Karin?"

She sighed and then sat up, "Let's go somewhere first, and then I promise I will tell you, alright?"

"You promised you would after the game,"

"Yeah, but I really will this time,"

She stood up then held her hand out to him.

He sighed again and then took her hand allowing her to pull him up.

They walked quietly for a while, and then he figured out where they were going.

When they arrived at his hill and then sat against the guard rail that was there and she joined him just a second afterwards.

They sat and stared at the sky where the sun was close to setting in companionable silence for a few minutes then she started speaking softly.

"I know you pretty well, and I also know your fukutaicho pretty well too. So I know what she would be planning for tomorrow and that you wouldn't appreciate it much."

He looked at her surprised at that, how did she know when his birthday was?

"You don't like to have a fuss made over you, and you probably don't think much about your birthday. So with the help of Ukitake taichou I was able to sneak you out, and he'll cover for you so you won't be getting in trouble for skipping out for a couple days. Plus that gigai you're wearing hides your raietsu almost perfectly so that if Rangiku comes looking for you she won't find you. So I kidnapped you, and you'll be staying here tomorrow so you get out of that outrageous party that is going to be designed to knock out have the Seireitei."

He stared at her in shock, then a peculiar feeling started in his chest and bubbled up till it pulled out of his mouth and erupted in a full throated laugh. She looked at him in surprise, he was surprised himself. He never laughed like that, but he couldn't help it. This girl who was barely a percentage of his age maneuvered and outsmarted a woman who was even older than he was.

After a minute or two he was able to stop and saw that Karin was looking at him strangely with an eyebrow raised, "Sorry, it's just that I never expected that from anyone, let alone a human girl. Thanks a lot, you're amazing."

He knew that usually he wouldn't be saying stuff like that, and that when he calmed down a bit he'd be beating himself up about it. But right now, he was just glad to have missed out on the "outrageous" party that Rangiku had planned.

Toshiro saw Karin blush a little and smiled at him, "You're welcome Toshiro, happy birthday."

Toshiro smiled softly as they both looked out at the now setting sun and softly wrapped his arm around her shoulders, holding her against him. For once glad that it was his birthday tomorrow.

* * *

**A/N: This of course is a fanfic for Toshiro's birthday today. And I really don't have any intent to write what happens on his birthday, so you're going to have to try and use your imagination for that. Unless I get enough people telling me that they want another chapter, then maybe I will ;)**

**Hope you enjoyed this. Happy Birthday Toshiro.**


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